Greenfield City Council approves accepting $375K grant to hire three police officers

By MARY BYRNE

Staff Writer

Published: 02-16-2023 7:25 PM

GREENFIELD — After a lengthy discussion Wednesday night, during which councilors expressed concerns over endorsing the mayor’s acceptance of a matching Department of Justice grant that would help fund the hiring of three new police officers, City Council ultimately voted by majority in its favor.

“It’s a good faith effort to help solve a problem,” said At-Large Councilor Christine Forgey. “It’s necessary for us to try to be problem solvers in accepting the hard, cold facts that we need this money in order to put three police officers back into the Police Department budget.”

The acceptance of this grant comes after Police Chief Robert Haigh Jr.’s announcement last month that, beginning March 1, the department will temporarily shift to a schedule of two, 10-hour shifts: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. Officers will work four days, with four days off.

Between 3 and 7 a.m., State Police will respond to calls as needed, according to the plan.

In discussing the acceptance of the grant, some councilors were concerned they were committing an indeterminate amount in future budgets for the $375,000 COPS Hiring Program, a multi-year reimbursement grant that will allow the Police Department to hire two officers in early spring and a third officer in June, each for four years.

According to the Department of Justice, any additional costs for salaries or fringe benefits higher than entry-level are the responsibility of the recipient agency. Although the federal funding ends after three years, the city is required to retain all officers under the grant award for at least one more year.

Finance Director Diana Schindler told councilors many of the costs discussed were ones “we presume we’ll have in our budget, regardless.” She emphasized that while Mayor Roxann Wedegartner had already signed and accepted the grant, a vote from City Council was “fiscally prudent.”

“The grant itself does not require the legislative body to accept it,” Schindler clarified. “However, because it’s a multi-year spending commitment, we felt it fiscally prudent for the council to accept it. You’re basically committing to funding beyond this fiscal year.”

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Authorization Wednesday night would allow the city to “move forward with the grant objectives,” she said.

Others, still, felt Wedegartner and Haigh “mischaracterized” the rationale for cutting the police budget to apply for the grant, which aims to expand community policing.

Precinct 5 Councilor Marianne Bullock added that in the nine months since City Council voted to cut the budget by $425,000 — a decision made to signal “major change” was needed in the Police Department following the Hampshire County Superior Court verdict that found the chief and the department racially discriminated against former Officer Patrick Buchanan and that the city was liable for racial discrimination during the promotional process for sergeants — she hasn’t seen any concrete shifts or changes.

While Precinct 8 Councilor Doug Mayo felt as though people were “forgetting” last fall’s protests that were inspired by the chief’s reinstatement, At-Large Councilor Penny Ricketts, who voted in favor of accepting the grant, said she planned to vote based on what she believes the majority of the community wants.

Ultimately, a majority of councilors voted in support of accepting the grant, largely in favor of the public’s safety.

“We’re not a rich community,” said At-Large Councilor Phil Elmer. “We can’t just throw away $375,000 willy-nilly. This did serve the purpose to close a hole. I’m inclined to vote for it despite all those concerns.”

Reporter Mary Byrne can be reached at mbyrne@recorder.com or 413-930-4429. Twitter: @MaryEByrne.

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